6/3/08

It seems like you can't get away from Celtics-Lakers talk these days. As a die-hard laker fan, even ill admit that it is getting a little excessive. I am watching ESPN play the 87' finals and giving analysis on the finals in between timeouts and quarter breaks. Even Larry Bird said earlier that he will do what the NBA wants him to do to hype the series up but he will not be attending a game. Big problem when the face of the Celtic dynasty isn't even going to the game. Don't get me wrong, it is a great time to be an NBA fan from the dark summer of Tim Donaghy to the closest playoff race in the history of the league to a historic rematch rekindling their rivalry. I won't bore you with another NBA Finals analysis.

With the whirlwind of the finals going on, the Flip Saunders firing in Detroit could easily be overlooked. Here is the story.

Everyone knows that NBA teams have a very low retention rates for coaches. There was a period of about 4 or 5 years ago when every Eastern Conference team went through a coaching change withing a year span. With the exception of Utah, every NBA team has gone through a coaching change in the last 7 years. That is basically a rental or a lease.

I think Flip Saunders leaving is a good thing. He had his shot in Minnesota with KG and couldn't get it done. He inherits an 04' champion Detroit team and fumbles it. C-Webb even said that no one listens to Flip. The other day when TNT was showing the locker room shot pre-game, it looks like Rasheed Wallace was getting a pedicure. If the players aren't listening, it's not working. Dumars knows that. Saunders is out.

Will he find another job in the NBA? Probably. He will go to a team that will take a chance that he can finally get over the hump. They will take a gamble on his near championship experience and coaching prowess and give him a job. One thing is clear, Saunders needs more than a superstar and a bunch of scrubs and a team without any superstar. Who takes the Detroit coaching job? Assistant Coach Michael Curry. I don't think this is a good move. Players not listening to the head coach probably means they would be a lot less likely to listen to the assistant coach. I don't know where the Pistons go from here. This team needs another big man inside. McDyess is past his prime and who knows how many years Sheed has on his legs. The 'Bench Mob' is still a solid crew with great prospects in Stuckey and Afflalo. They aren't in a bad position, but maybe some roster tweaks and a new offensive and defensive scheme tweaks wouldn't hurt. They need to come fast. The Pistons core only gets older from here and more distant from that 04' championship. I know there is a certain player that has a first name that rhymes with 'salami' and a last name that rhymes with 'crown' that got traded to Memphis that will be a free agent. Just kidding. No way another NBA team takes a chance on Kwame, but this is the NBA...where nonsensical happens.